Aircraft fuel tank

Claim 1

A fuel tank adapted for mounting on the exterior of an aircraft comprising in combination (a) a liquid fuel chamber constructed of a flexible liquid-impervious memberane and in the general shape of an elongated tear drop or other suitably aerodynamic shape, (b) at least one passageway for the introduction or removal of liquid from said fuel chamber, (c) a plurlaity of inflatable ribs attached to the outside walls of said liquid fuel chamber, said ribs (1) being composed of tubes of flexible material that can be inflated with gas or liquid, (2) being connected to means for inflating and deflating said tubular inflatable ribs. (3) being attached to said flexible liquid-impervious membrane in a pattern at spaced apart intervals extending from the front portion to the rear portion of said fuel tank that, when said tubular ribs are inflated with a gas or liquid, will result in a strong supporting framework that establishes the maximum volumetric configuration and shape of said flexible liquid-impervious membrane and will cause it to be structurally strong enough to maintain its aerodynamic shape and qualities during flight at very high speeds, whether it is empty or filled with fuel, and configured in such a manner that when empty and demounted from the aircraft the ribs may be de-inflated, thus permitting the liquid fuel chamber to be collapsed to an essentially flattend condition that may be folded or rolled into a compact unit that occupies much less space than said maximum volumetric configuration, and (d) an outer envelope of flexible material surrounding said plurality of inflatable ribs, said outer envelope being parallel to and spaced outwardly from said liquid fuel chamber.